Why South Korea’s Hallyu heroes find taxes so … taxing
As K-culture conquers the world, its wealthy stars keep falling foul of a tax system ‘that has not yet fully caught up’
Then a new controversy hit – this time, over taxes.
The 39-year-old star of Can This Love Be Translated? has not been charged with any criminal offence, but the revelations – originally reported by media outlet Sports Kyunghyang – had an immediate impact, with one prominent fashion brand distancing itself from Kim in the aftermath.
As K-pop and K-dramas have produced global stars commanding vast appearance fees, tax disputes have become a recurring flashpoint. They expose a grey zone between aggressive tax planning and unlawful evasion, while raising a broader question: has the tax system kept pace with the industry’s explosive growth?